- Believes they were dismissed unfairly with measly retrenchment packages
- Wants matter recalled from court for cordial resolution and reinstatement
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tlokweng, Phenyo Segokgo, wants the government to consider re-employing 200 former employees of Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) who were retrenched in December 2022.
He has filed a question to that effect for the Minister of Communications and Information, David Tshere.
Meagre packages
Sekgogo holds that the 200 employees were dismissed unfairly and that some of them received retrenchment packages of as little as P40 000.
In December 2022, BTC embarked on a review of its organisational structure to ensure that it supported the company’s strategic direction and future viability, resilience and long-term financial sustainability of the business.
As a result of the exercise, 200 employees across its departments were retrenched.
Employment Act
While BTC insisted that the restructuring was done in accordance with labour laws, in particular the Employment Act, Cap 47:01, it sparked disputes with the Botswana Telecommunications Employees Union (BOTEU).
The two parties were at loggerheads over BTC’s decision to embark on the retrenchment and restructuring without involving the union.
BOTEU instructed Paul & Partners law firm and took BTC to the Gaborone Industrial Court, arguing that the entire process and mapping employees were done in secrecy.
Cordial resolution
Through an urgent application, the union wanted BTC to be interdicted from proceeding with the retrenchment until the workers were properly consulted.
Nearly two years later, Segokgo is proposing a cordial resolution of the issues by recalling the matter from the court for possible re-employment of the 200 ex-employees.